New Bedford Mayor Scott Lang will host a meeting of his Oceans and Fisheries Council on Thursday, January 13.
In addition to the mayor, Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank will attend the meeting and speak.
Yesterday, in an op-ed in the New Bedford Standard-Times, Congressman Frank warned the White House "I have worked with the Obama administration on a number of important issues since the president came to office … But the president must understand that if the administration persists in such a serious assault on the livelihood of the working men and women of the fishing industry, it will make it difficult for me and others to maintain this degree of cooperation."
Today, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley filed an amicus brief on behalf of Governor Deval Patrick in support of a lawsuit by the Cities of New Bedford and Gloucester against President Obama's Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke.
Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environment Rick Sullivan will represent Governor Patrick at the meeting and will speak.
"These unreasonably low limits set by the federal government are threatening the economic livelihood of our fishing families," said Attorney General Coakley. "The regulations are unjust and unwarranted, and we are seeking to have them recalculated in a scientific manner and with greater consideration for the economic impact on our fishing communities."
"We will not stand idly by while our fishing families in the Commonwealth pay the price for a regulatory change that was poorly thought through and poorly implemented," said Governor Patrick. "The court needs to understand that neither science nor fairness justifies the regulations now imposing great hardship on the many small fishing operations in Massachusetts that need relief now."
The meeting is open to the public.
Members of the press, and those who are unable to attend in person are invited to listen in to the meeting by telephone
Dial – (712) 432-1690
Enter Access Code – 1079860#
The agenda follows:
Mayor’s Ocean and Fisheries Council Meeting
Thursday, January 13, 2011
4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Agenda
1. Introductions (Brian Rothschild, Dean Emeritus, UMass School for Marine Science and Technology)
2. Update on Economic Conditions (Richie Canastra, Whaling City and Boston Seafood Display Auctions)
3. Update on conditions in Gloucester (Vito Giacalone, Northeast Seafood Coalition)
4. Governor Patrick’s denied request and Overfishing Issues (Professor Steve Cadrin, NOAA/UMass Cooperative Marine Education & Research Program)
5. Governor Patrick’s denied request and Economic isues (Professor Dan Georgianna, Chairperson, Department of Economics, UMass Dartmouth)
6. Speakers
– New Bedford Mayor Scott Lang
– Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank
– Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environment Rick Sullivan (representing Governor Deval Patrick)